Play it again -- Blue Jays 5, Orioles 2

August 18, 2007|By JEFF ZREBIEC

THIRD INNING NOT A CHARM

Orioles starter Garrett Olson clearly didn't have his good stuff but managed to work through that to hold the Blue Jays scoreless through two innings. But in the third, everything changed, including the Orioles' chances to win the game. Olson gave up five runs in the inning, three of them coming on a long home run by Frank Thomas, who connected for the 506th of his career. The Blue Jays sent 11 men to the plate in the inning, five of them getting hits and three walking.

OLSON OUT EARLY

Making his fourth major league start, Olson lasted just 2 2/3 innings, the shortest outing of his brief major league career. Spotted a 1-0 lead, the 23-year-old left-hander was pounded for five earned runs on six hits and four walks. He hit Reed Johnson, the first batter he faced, foreshadowing a night of control problems. In 18 1/3 innings with the Orioles, Olson has surrendered 13 earned runs on 25 hits and 18 walks. The organization's top pitching prospect fell to 1-2 with a 6.38 ERA.

BELL ON BLOOPERS

Orioles long reliever Rob Bell did an admirable job in relief of Olson, tossing 3 1/3 innings, but he'll have to settle for being on the blooper reel rather than the highlight reel. In the fifth inning, Toronto base runner John McDonald attempted to steal second base. Orioles catcher Ramon Hernandez caught the pitchout, took a couple of steps toward second and fired an errant throw that hit the crouched Bell in the back, leaving a welt. "It hit me like a midtown Manhattan ATM surcharge," Bell said. "He kept coming at me and I knew something good wasn't going to happen." Bell joked that his only two choices were to wince or laugh. He chose the latter.

ON DECK

Veteran right-hander Steve Trachsel (5-7, 4.85) will get the start in Game 2 of the series against Toronto rookie right-hander Jesse Litsch (4-5, 3.54). Trachsel is 2-0 with a 2.38 ERA in two starts against the Blue Jays this season and 5-0 with a 2.95 ERA in six career starts against them.